Texans running back situation and three possible draft picks

Here are three running backs that could figure into the Texans plans after the first two rounds:

Lorenzo Booker, Florida State: The scouts who I spoke with after the Senior Bowl all came away impressed with Booker. More than one scout likened him to Brian Westbrook for his multidimensional talents or Warrick Dunn for his quickness and cutting ability. While the Texans offense isn’t necessarily geared to take advantage of a multi-dimensional player, Booker has the type of big play speed (click for YouTube highlight) and playmaking ability that the Texans might liken to Denver’s Tatum Bell. The Broncos did a good job of utilizing Clinton Portis out of the backfield over his first two seasons and I think they could do some of the same things with Booker. He isn’t likely to go until the 3rd round at the earliest.

Brandon Jackson, Nebraska: Jackson has had some injury problems throughout his career but he has good acceleration and will hit it in the hole (click for YouTube highlights). One scout told me that he liked all of the Nebraska RBs this season and that Jackson was just caught up in a numbers game which limited some of his workload. This is a guy who could start to shoot up draft boards so keep an eye on him.

Gary Russell, Minnesota: Remember that the Gophers are easily the best zone scheme team in college football (a must click if you want to know more about the basics of zone blocking) over the last 4 years and they have also cranked out Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney. Russell was Maroney’s backup in 2005, but he saw plenty of action and ended up rushing for 1130 yards and an amazing 18 TDs. He didn’t play in 2006 because he was academically ineligible. The guy has a very muscular build and he’s got very good quicks. He really fit in nicely with Minnesota’s zone game and my guess is that the Texans will give him more than a cursory look. Some are viewing Russell as a 5th or 6th round pick, but if he runs well, I think he’ll move way up the board.

• • •

While the big topic on this blog (mostly with the comments) revolves around whether or not Adrian Peterson will be available at #8 and whether or not the Texans should take him if he is, there is another side to consider.

What if Domanick Williams (formerly Davis) IS healthy again? I don’t want to be a hypocrite because I am the same guy who said that the Texans needed to find a better gamebreaking back even before Domanick got hurt, but the pre-knee injury Williams was a good if not great back. He would give you a little more than what Dayne gave you at his best at the end of last season. If Peterson is drafted before #8, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Williams is back and healthy.

The other guy to keep your eye on is Chris Taylor. It cannot be stressed enough that this guy is the only back on the roster that has the skill set that matches with being a true zone back. He has enough speed to get to the edge on wide stretch plays which puts more pressure on defenses to flow to the play side which opens up the cutback lanes. Taylor also happens to be the only RB on the roster who has the type of burst to hit the cutback lanes with authority and make a big play. I’m not saying that he’s not without his flaws, but I do think he has some of the qualities that Kubiak is looking for.

You don’t seem to be a real big Marshawn Lynch guy. I’ve never seen him play, but everything I’ve read leads me to think we should take him if Adrian’s gone…

Actually, just a couple of weeks ago I had a YouTube.com entry that featured Lynch and I said that I liked him then and I still do. The thing is, I think teams are going to be a little worried about him because of some character issues. I think he has a chance to be a little like Ahman Green and ironically enough, I have the Packers drafting Lynch. I just don’t like him as high as #8.

I really don’t care if Domanick Davis Williams is healthy, if Peterson is there at 8 the Texans need to draft him. We have no idea what shape he will be in when he gets back. Last year the talk was he had bone on bone. Now I am no doctor but I don’t think that will get better. We need a break away back. I like a backfield of Taylor and Peterson next year.

I dont think we need to draft a running back in the first round. Chris Taylor will probably develop into the kind of back the Texans have coveted for. #37 is not going to have the same burst that he had in the past years. That first round pick should be used on either a defensive player or on a OT.

I think drafting Adrian Peterson would be a mistake, similiar to not taking Vince Young. Peterson was injury prone in college – what will he be like getting hit by bigger and faster men in the NFL. Running backs are a big risk. Look what Denver did to T.Davis. Like the Oilers did to Earl – run them to death and then wonder what happened. Similiar to what the Lions tried to do to Barry. If you have a decent O-line then most anyone can be made to be a good back even R.Dayne.

Davis wasn’t “run to death”, he just suffered a catastrophic knee injury. That’s just bad luck. It has nothing to do with workload. And trust me, I’m sure every Texan fan in Houston and the surrounding areas would take the productivity that Earl or Davis gave their teams even if it were only for 4 to 5 years.

Hey Lance, I was under the impression that Dominick Williams loss of cartlidge in his knee was permanent and that although his doctors cleared him for play, the also intimated that he would never play without pain. He was pretty insistent on playing without pain and that was the primary reason why his injury kept him sidelined last year. Has this situation changed? Is Dominick’s determination not to play “hurt” as it were wavering or has his medical outlook improved?

He was limping around pretty badly every time I saw him so I don’t think he was ever good enough to go. He also needed to lose weight last year as he was a little too heavy. From what I’ve been told by a Texans player, his isn’t experiencing any swelling after doing his squats now and that he is pain free. However, this same player said that he was curious about whether or not he could get through two weeks of practice without the swelling coming back. By the way, I hated when you turned on Junkyard Dog but I always respected how you were able to get away with loading your glove.

The question is not as simple as whether Williams will be healthy again. Another aspect of the situation is his contract, which is ridiculous for next season (and I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know). Williams will either have to be cut or have his contract redone. A compounding factor in all this is the timing, because I don’t think the Texans will know for sure whether Williams will fully recover until AFTER they need to make the decision to keep or cut him.

I think the Texans have to proceed as if Williams will not be available, and cut him unless he agrees to redoing his contract to something much more reasonable, one laden with performance incentives.

Well obviously I was dealing with a hypothetical when talking about Williams. I don’t think he’ll come back and be able to play at 100%, but it is a contrary view to the RB situation that isn’t discussed as much. I’m never worried about contract situations for players trying to hang on with a team because they are usually willing to re-work their deal.

As for Taylor, he certainly has potential and decent speed, but I don’t think he’s a threat to go all the way.

I think he’s a threat to go for 25 yards more often than on anyone on the Texans roster, that’s for sure. He ran a 4.53 at his individual workout which isn’t bad for a RB, but I’m more worried about burst rather than straight line 40 speed and the guy has burst. I can promise you that if Emmitt Smith ever ran a 40 under 4.6, it wasn’t for more than a year or two.

If the Texans miss out on Peterson or choose to go another direction in the early rounds, one thing they could do is opt for a change-of-pace back, someone who is available in later rounds due to lack of size but who has great speed. Guys like Alonzo Coleman (Hampton) and Garrett Wolfe (NIU) come to mind. This back would not be the starter; he’d be the feature in certain packages.

Coleman reminds me of Lundy and he’s already on the roster. Wolfe has a place on a roster, but with limited carries so that won’t help much.

I disagree with Earl’s and TD’s production versus the reward. Earl-we’ve all seen his story of pain over the past few years. TD, okay, two superbowls then what? The best two-Robert Smith and Barry Sanders-both got out while the getting was good. They were intrical parts of what their teams were trying to do but the teams (and players, in Smith’s Case) weren’t interested in giving these two a legitimate shot. Smith came close…then some of his teammates stopped caring about winning and more about partying. Barry….if he had ever had a line like #22 had….

Terrell Davis?? “Two Super Bowls and then what” ??? First of all, I don’t really know how anyone can gloss over the two Super Bowl wins. That’s what you play football for. Secondly, in terms of what else he did… well…. he did run for over 2000 yards and went for 21 TDs one year and he had 4 seasons over 1100 yards rushing and 3 seasons over 1500 and averaged 4.6 ypc despite playing on one leg for the final 302 carries of his career. Then again, he suffered an injury that was a freak injury. You can’t predict that kind of stuff. That’s just bad luck. If I knew that Peterson would give me 5 years over 1400, with over 12 TDs per season as well, I would take it.

I think more and more that the Browns are high on Peterson and they will use their pick on him, and it looks more and more likely that Brady Quinn could fall to us with the #8. I have no problem with this. With this, I would still rather see the Texans trade down to make a move on Lynch or safety Laron Landry. I like Lynch after 6 years of NFL play rather than Eddie George Jr. We have to get an immidate starter out of our first two picks. I’m also not sold on Owen Daniels or Putzer @ T.E. If Greg Olsen out of “The U” is available in the 2nd, I think he’s a steal! Poor Q.B. play last year hurt his stock a little. Great, great hands and athletic to boot. In Kubiak’s offense a solid playmaking tight end can have an impact. Lance, would you not be pleased with a combination of Quinn and Olsen with the first two or Lynch and Olsen? Laters.

I’m not as much of a Quinn-hater as the others on this site, but I’m still not sure I take him at 8. At this very moment, I would rather the Texans trade out of the 8th spot if they could find a way to get a 2nd for moving (which isn’t a given). I would probably prefer a combination that doesn’t include another TE. The Texans have a bigger needs to address in the 2nd round than a TE.

What is Michael Bush’s health status? What pick (in first or second round) is he projected to go? Would he fit the Texans needs at running back assuming he returns to pre-injury status?

I don’t think he’s a fit for the zone scheme. I don’t think he has the type of quickness to the hole that fits this system. Bush didn’t live on speed so I doubt his broken leg is going to scare anyone. As long as it isn’t a knee injury, NFL teams are unlikely to be too worried about the leg being broken. I expect him to go late first to late 2nd (I have to leave a little leeway since I don’t know his medical yet).

It seems like Peterson is a good pick if he’s at #8. If he works out and Domanick is truly healthy, then the Texans can be like almost every playoff team this year and have two good running backs. If not, then we’ll at least have one good back and Dayne as a not-bad backup/zone block mentor.

My worry is about the O-line. Should the Texans just leave its current personnel in place and pray for them to be healthy this year, or do major changes need to be made? Even if changes need to be made, is the draft going to have many options at O-line available for rounds 2-7?

What do you think of the prospective running backs in this year’s draft particularly, Micheal Bush, Marshawn Lynch, and Kenny Irons? Which of these would be the best fit for the Texans? Also are there any running backs who may be available on the second day of the draft who might slso fit the Texans needs at RB?

Lynch has the best ceiling in terms of upside in this system, but he had a tendency at Cal to try and do too much juking and stutter stepping which is a BIG no-no in the zone system. From that standpoint, Irons would be the best fit. However, Irons doesn’t have the same upside as Lynch. As for Bush, I think he’s better with a team like the Jets or Ravens.

Lance, isn’t it true that Kubiak’s stated philosophy is never to take a running back high in the draft, because (1) they don’t last long in the NFL, and (2) the “zone rushing” scheme can be taught to anyone with (to use your words) the correct “skill set,” thus you can pick up a good RB later on Day One?

I don’t know. Kubiak has only been in charge of one draft. If we are to believe that Kubiak will do everything that Shanahan did then we also have to believe the same thing with Romeo Crennell of the Browns and that means that he’ll draft Alan Branch or another defensive lineman since that is what the Patriots did in the first round. The Broncos put a premium on having a good running game and they thought enough of the RB position to draft Tatum Bell in the 2nd and even Clarett in the 3rd round who nobody would have even touched for another round or two. I think having a strong running game is important to Kubiak and that means by any means necessary. If he finds a great fit in the first round at RB, I think he’ll take him.

Dre Bly is on the market. He would be a great fit in our system. Dunta would be so much better as a second corner. Bly is a great cover corner and he makes plays and at 30 he still has at least 3-4 good years left in him. The lions are looking to trade him or eventually release him due to him not fitting into their cover 2 defense. I think the texans could get him for a second day pick and I see that as a no brainer. What do you think?

If by “our system” on defense you mean a “system” where CBs cover, then I think he would be a much better fit than anyone else. In all honesty, I would take a good luck at Bly, but it looks like Bly’s agent is trying to get him to the Titans for a 3rd round pick.

I don’t think RB is a need position. If Ron Dayne can run for 100 yds behind that line, just about anyone can. I think an edge pass rusher, a cover corner or a big time OLB would have a bigger impact on the team than adding a 1st rd RB.

With the artist formerly known as Davis, what’s his status on a comeback? I think the guy has played his last games for the Texans. Also, don’t we pay him a fair amount of money that could be used productively on free agents if we cut him loose?

I really like the other two big time backs in the draft in M. Bush and M. Lynch. Any chance Bush is available in the 2nd? Is there a market to trade back to 12-15 and pick up a pick or two and snag Lynch? Your thoughts are always very insightful on these things…

I don’t know if the Texans would find Bush to be a fit, but if they did, he might be there in the 2nd round. If the Texans trade back, that increases the chances that they will entertain the notion of taking Lynch. As for Domanick Williams, my personal feeling is that he won’t be the starter for the Texans next year and he won’t make the team. That is my gut on that one. Check all the comments as I talked about what I’ve heard on his comeback.

If Dominick is healthy or not, we’ll still have greater needs to fill than running back. We still have to get better in the trenches. O-Line and D-Line must improve, and our defensive secondary needs more help. I would rate those three areas of need ahead of running back at this point.

Your thoughts? Good teams win the battle upfront. Until we are solid at both O-line and D-line, we’ll continue to be terrible to mediocre.

Domanick Williams is an OK back. He’s never been better than OK, despite the old benchmark of 1,000 yards (which was created in 14 game seasons, mind you.)I ranked the RBs a month ago or so, and Domanick came in at number 28. Seriously, there are 27 backs that I would rather have. That means he’s a fine back-up, but not a guy you want getting the bulk of the touches.

What do you think about Kenny Irons? Do you think he might droop to the 3rd?

My initial inclination is to say “no way he drops there” but the truth of the matter is that he’s a guy that doesn’t have the biggest frame in the world and he’s coming off of a year of being injured almost throughout. If teams feel like he’s not durable, he could easily fall to the third. Talent-wise, I like him in the second though.

I can’t believe I just read a Ted DiBiase reference. That made my day.

I would love to see Taylor get a look, but we cannot afford him to be the featured back. Is there a chance that Irons or Pittman could fall to the second round and we could get Landry with the 1st round pick?

Remember that time Tony Atlas benched over 500 pounds in the ring?

Top 5 Most Memorable Wrestling Moments as a Kid

1. Superfly Snuka vs. Bob Backlund cage match. I was at my Grandmother’s house in Kansas watching wrestling on her giant satellite dish and when we found out Snuka was going to be on, we cancelled our trip to Pizza Hut (that was a big deal) and made her cook us dinner so we could see the match. I was a huge Snuka fan and was upset to see Snuka get beat by Backlund. he should have tried to jump off the top of the cage…. idiot.

2. Hacksaw Butch Reid turns on his mentor, Junkyard Dog and paints a yellow stripe down his back. My brother was so ticked off that he had tears of anger in his eyes. It happened the day before Easter if I remember correctly. We were still talking about what a piece of crap Butch Reid was while we were snapping up the plastic eggs the next morning.

3. Kimala’s entrance into Mid-South wrestling. When I saw Kimala, I just couldn’t see how JYD was going to be able to beat him. He was a scary guy. A named one of my fantasy football teams “Devastation Incorporated in his honor.

4. I was only 5 or 6 when I first saw Ox Baker on television. He said he had a punch called “The Heart Punch” that could send a man into cardiac arrest if he hit you with it. I believed him and had bad dreams about him for several years after that.

5. When I was a kid, we were all about mid-south wrestling and Houston Wrestling but as cable exploded we were able to watch more of the WWF and when I watched the legendary Andre the Giant get beat by Hulk Hogan, I didn’t know whether or not to be excited or devestated.

OK..i read yesterday that dre bly was going to be able to seek a trade from the lions…the same lions who might need a quarterback. What do you think it would take to get him from the lions? Possibly Carr and pick in this years draft. Then we get our secound shutdown corner without having to spend our FA money.

Just looking for ways to address the secondary. It was and has been horrible for five years and was easily the weakest link last year. This is a true story and one that all season ticket holders can verify. I received my texans newsletter(magazine) yesterday. The players they featured in this article were Demeco, Mario, and Demarcus. Who the hell is Demarcus you say. Well he was only the man who the referred to as a playmaker and told us how he tied for the team lead with interceptions despite having missed half the season. Well that all sounds good until they also mentioned that he had friggin 2 interceptions. If they are writing us articles about their defense and calling Demarcus Faggins a playmaker with 2 interceptions. Then hopefully one thing is as evident to them as it is to me. We need to address our secondary this offseason. Dre Bly, Asante Samuel, Nate Clements, Reggie Nelson, and Laron Landry. I say we try to get one of these corners and trade back in the draft and secure one of these safeties. So next year when i get my newsletter they can write articles about true playmakers and difference makers in the texans secondary. Go talk to the D lineman off the record and they may speak to the fact that the lack of overall sacks has to do more with our secondary than our line.

I honestly believe the Texans are going to have to find a CB and a free safety and they need to do it quickly.

Still one of the greatest moments in wrestling ever was in Oct 1987 Saturday Night Main Event. Macho Man defeats Honky Tonk. Then HT shoves Miss Elizabeth and Hogan comes to the rescue. The formation of the Mega Powers.

Is there any word on Matt Shaub being available? I hadn’t heard about the Dre Bly thing that would be nice. In addition with the cap room that we have and having to obviously pay #8 draft pick money who could we be realistically be looking at in free-agency?

There is a school of thought that the Falcons want Schaub to take over as their next QB and they don’t want to let him go. My feeling is that the Falcons would be more than happy if a team wants to give up a first rounder like the Bills did for Rob Johnson.

Lance, I keep hearing ESPN & other national media memebers keep saying that the Texans only need a left tackle to solidify their offense line. However local media keeps saying that Kubiak & Rick Smith will completely revamp the o-line. Which one of these scenarios will happen?

First of all, I would listen to what the local writers say over the national ones. Contrary to what many believe, the Chronicle writers do get some insight into what might take place during the offseason as opposed to national media. I pay closer attention to what beat writers write as oppossed to columnists though because columnists tend to guess a little more than the beat writers. The Texans weren’t consistent enough at guard and center to just go status quo at those positions. They need to decide if Steve McKinney can play the position because Mike Flanigan really struggled and I don’t think he’s a viable option in this offense.

Personally I think the o-line should start from scratch. Besides Mike Flanagan, everyone else should be backups. I think the Texans should go after Derrick Dockery(OG). He’s a big, athletic offensive guard who fits the zone blocking scheme. Also, what are the chances of getting a Free Agent like Leonard Davis? He’s the strongest offensive tackle in football, but how would he fit in the Zone Blocking system that the Texans have in place? I thought our o-line could look something like this:

LT- Leonard Davis

LG- Derrick Dockery

C- Mike Flanagan

RG- Chester Pitts

RT- Eric Winston

You and I won’t agree much in this exchange. I don’t think Flanigan should be a starter at all. Leonard Davis would be a horrible fit. He was a nightmare at LT this year and one of the reasons is because…. he isn’t a left tackle. I said that when he was drafted. He’s a guard. And he’s an in-line blocking guard and not a zone blocking guard. The Cards tried to zone it up and Davis was unable to help solidify the corner on wide running plays. Totally wrong fit for him. I’m not a big fan of D.Dockery’s in this system either. I mutch prefer Eric Steinbach from Cincy. He has better feet and moves better than Dockery.

I agree with A-Town. Way cool, you respond as much as you can or so it would seem.

I would love to get your feed back on this statement; “Houston did draft VY, they just moved to Tennesse” It was because of hater, fair weather dallas wanna be’s, that drove them off. Miracle of miracles here we are with a football team again and there are already those ready to send them packing again. Unbelievable. Bud never suited up for a team I rooted for. He did draft, Munchak, Matthews, Campbell, Bethea, signed Warren Moon. This city has short memories.

Speaking of memories, Ted D….

When I was twelve my buddies and I painted his mom’s garage. As a reward she bought us tickets and dropped us off at the sam houston coliseum. It was the night DiBiase and Dr. Death were beatan by the Charro brothers after beating the R & R express. Being twelve we were rooting for the bad guys. I kid you not, there were a group of 3 or 4 grown men next to us that wanted to kick our arses. After the match we jumped the rail to where Dibiase was being interviewed by Bosch and Ted got in to a screaming match with the men who had followed us there. I’m still friends with those guys and we laugh all the time about grown men wanting to beat up twelve year olds over a wrestling match. Classic!

Very funny stuff on Dibiase. My feeling is that Tennessee has a team named the Titans and Houston has a team named the Texans. The “Oilers” died when the team left this city. That is a different team and I have no affiliation with them. That’s like Cleveland Browns fans rooting for the Baltimore Ravens. They despise the Ravens, they don’t root for them.

I heard you talking about Plummer this morning. While I agree he is not a long term answer at the position, I just don’t see any better options for the next couple of years. He could be a good stepping stone until we find the QB of the future, and I think he would lead us to more wins and maybe, God forbid, a winning season! What other legitimate options do you see?

Kiper has us drafting Levi Brown (Peterson to Cleveland), but I read that you weren’t particularly high on him, would Alan Branch be a better pick at #8? I think trading down to get an extra pick is probably the best option and we could still get Lynch or a safety.

If Branch is still around at #8 (which I can’t see), then I think he goes to the top of the list. I just don’t see any possible way that Levi Brown is ranked in the top 10 of this year’s draft prospects. To me, if the Texans take Brown, they are basically reaching based on need and they are also admitting that either Charles Spencer won’t be back or Eric Winston can’t play tackle. As for your question about QBs, you can never predict what the following season’s QB crop is going to look like and how it will effect the draft. Just look at how David Carr and Akili Smith came out of nowhere to…. oh wait….. never mind.

Speaking of damaged offensive tackles, do you think the Texans have any interest in Luke Petitgout?

Hard to say. You’re talking about a guy who is going to be 31 who just missed 7 games due to injury. If he’s healthy, you are instantly better, but if he’s not, you are wasting what little cap space you have since there will likely be a few teams interested in him.

Can you address a couple of RBs that have not been discussed and seem to be flying under the radar? Darius Walker and Antonio Pittman. Would they be an upgrade to Lundy or Gado? Walker seems to have a burst but will probably run close to a 4.60. They are a couple of 3-4 RD picks that could do well.

I’m not really all that sold on Walker even though he did have a strong performance against a good LSU defense. Pittman, to me, is a better fit and has more upside. From watching him play, my guess is that he’ll run in the high 4.4 range.

I’ve been trying to figure out 3rd and 4th round RB options for the Texans, in case they don’t grab one in rd 1 or 2.

I’d like to get your early evaluations of Tony Hunt and Darius Walker. I think either could be a good compliment to Chris Talyor. I see Hunt being an early third round talent, while Walker just might last to the early 4th. Of course it depends alot on 40s, shuttles, etc.

Where do you have Hunt and D.Walk projected right now, or have you not gotten that far into it yet? I’m pretty sure D.Walker will be a good zone back, but would Hunt also be a good fit in the Texans’ zone scheme?

Here is the problem with looking for a RB there. You have Gado, Lundy, Dayne, Taylor and Dom Williams all as potential backs on your roster. Unless you are finding a guy who you feel like is a perfect fit and is a diamond in the rough who can be a starter by next year, I’m not sure I wast a 3rd or 4th on a RB. You better be damn sure that the guy you are taking is better than Lundy and Gado. For this system, I like Walker more than Hunt. I have Hunt as a 3rd rounder right now and Walker as a likely 4th, but possible 3rd. I’m going to right about this in the blog in just a second, but the guy to keep your eye on is Lorenzo Booker from Florida State. More to come on him.

This is shaping up as a 2-3 person draft. After pick #5 there isn’t anyone that really stands out. It is my belief that everyone worth taking will be gone by #8 so it will come down to taking the best person available.

And why does everyone seem to think that trading down is some type of miracle cure-all pill.

Since we’re talking about running backs, do you think there is any chance Jackie Battle would get a hometown “extra look” and a free agent tryout if he doesn’t get drafted?

I doubt he would get any type of “extra look” from the Texans, but he was better than I expected at the shrine bowl practices when he came out of the backfield as a fullback so that might intrigue the Texans if he is an undrafted free agent.

Maybe RB is not the biggest weakness on the roster, but if Peterson falls to the 8th pick the Texans should snag him. Maybe his health is a slight concern but when he was healthy, he arguably had a better career than Reggie Bush. Keep in mind Bush had Lendale to burden a heavy portion of the load and Peterson had well..uh, Kejuan Jones? Peterson would definitely give the Texans a real NFL back, rather than a cast of misfits. And while Chris Taylor had ONE nice game during the season, his fumblitis looked awfully similar to DW-37 (a real slippery lubricant).

Hey Lance, what are we looking at as far as QBs in the draft? I think the kid from Boise ST. would a nice pick ( good leadership, good arm, 4.5 speed, tough) but where at? Who are some of the vetern CBs The Texans are interested in? Keep up the good work.

I can’t tell you which CBs the Texans are interested in because I haven’t heard. I doubt anyone has at this point. As for Jared Zabransky from Boise, his arm isn’t big enough to make up for his average size. You are right about his speed though. He is pretty quick for a QB and might be interesting outside of the pocket. Still, I can’t see the Texans being interested enough in him to draft him any higher than the 7th.

Who’s the UT rb that was kicked off team? Romance Taylor? I hear he’s fast, and didn’t he score 15 td’s his last yr in Austin? Would you take him in the 6 – 7th round? I say Branch or Okoye in the first, a safety like Merriweather in the 2nd. OT in the 3rd. Get a playoff caliber defense, as i don’t think we’re that far away from being a very good D.

Ramonce Taylor has a ton of baggage. I’ve heard some shaky stories about him dating all the way back to high school. HOWEVER….. he can flat fly. Tremendous speed. I would do as much homework on his character as possible and if I were making the draft for the Texans and felt like the kid wasn’t likely to be arrested, I would take a shot with him maybe as early as the 5th. We’re talking about a guy who can return kicks, get carries, catch some passes and stretch the field in general. You have to take a close look at him because of his speed.

If Chris Taylor has all the potential why in the heck didn’t they give him more looks last year rather than wasting time with Ron Dayne. I don’t know much about Taylor but this question was on my mind the entire second half of the season.

I’m not 100% sure, but my guess (and I think this is a pretty educated one) is that coach Kubiak wasn’t thrilled with the rookie’s ability to pass protect. I know we, as fans, tend to downplay this, but I also know that poor pass protection is the primary factor that kept Ced Benson off the field as much as it did over his rookie season. RBs have specific responsibilities in pass protection, but they are required to make some basic reads according to the protection that is called and the blitz that may or may not come. If a RB continues to make mistakes in protection, coaches won’t put them in and that this especially true for rookies.

If we could trade Carr for Bly, give or take a pick either way, I think we’d be way ahead of the game. A 2nd or 3rd round pick to draft Kolb would be nice, and MAYBE sign Plummer to a free agent deal. Why is everyone saying “Rosenfelds is not the long term answer”? Why not? He seemed dang good in both pre-season and regular season games. Why not at least give him a shot with Kolb backing him up, and keep Plummer’s salary off our books?

I am with Chris I would want to know the main reason why Taylor was on the practice squad for the entire season?? I mean we cant say that Lundi was tearing up the league with all the wrong cuts he made on reading the holes and Dayne a 7 yr verteran that has been a bust his entire career. I mean what you said Lance on picking up the blitz and i also heard he had problems holding on the ball in practice and also preseason, but still look the best than Lundi and Dayne when he played the Browns.

Actually, you guys are right about the fumbles. I forgot about that. Fumbling for rookies is up their with bad pass pro when it comes to coaches losing confidence. However, a rookie is a rookie and coaches are just not going to stick with guys that don’t trust for very long. You saw how quickly Kubiak got away from Lundy.

Lance, I moved up here to Cowboyland in 2005 and I miss you and John in the mornings. I am glad you are doing this blog. I still love the Houston teams and always will. I am glad you dad got another job! I think the Texans should seriously consider trading down for more picks if Peterson is not there at 8. Might need those picks to offset the pick we will probably be giving to Denver for Plummer. I wish we had more QB options. Thanks, for all you do!!

Thanks for checking back in. Try to catch us on the net at sportsradio610.com

I tend to agree with you. If AP is gone, we should trade down to try to get a 2nd rounder (this year) if possible. I would still consider trading down for a 3rd rounder (this year) for just a couple of spots. This assumption is based on J. Russel, B. Quinn, AP, Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Gaines Adams & Alan Branch all being gone (the top seven players with a drop off to eight… in my opinion). There are six or seven players that are all ranked approximately in the same area at possitions the Texans could eagerly use!! I would be glad to have any of the following: LaRon Landry, Marshawn Lynch, Amobi Akoye, Levi Jones, Reggie Nelson, or any one of three CB’s in the mid-teens.

It may be a moot point because AP will likely go to Cleveland anyway, but given his injury history wouldn’t you rather see the Texans trade back, pick up maybe an extra 3rd rounder and go after Reggie Nelson? Unlike in previous years you have to feel confident that Smith/Kubiak will get a solid player with a #3, hopefully another starter.

Regardless of Domanick’s health, a solid RB can be had later in the draft. At this point Texans need quantity as well as quality in terms of draft picks. Even if they can’t trade down I would still rather see them take Gaines Adams than a RB in round 1.

Finally, more kudos to you and John, who I’ve listened to since 3 jobs ago…what is it, 8 years now?

As the draft gets closer it looks more and more like we’re not going to have a shot at AD. In that case there is going to be some interesting defensive line prospects available. I’d like to get your opinion on Gaines Adams vs. Jamaal Anderson & Amobi Okoye vs. Alan Branch. Who should Texan fans root for to fall? From what I watched this year Gaines Adams seemed like far and away the better player, but the more I read the more it seems like Anderson and Branch have surpassed him as far as draft position. Also what do you think about David Irons (CB-Auburn) and Leonard Peters(FS-Hawaii) as late round secondary picks. Keep up the good work!

I’m wondering if perhaps the Texans should make an effort to sign Michael Turner from the Chargers (he is a free-agent this offseason correct? It’s been awhile since I’ve heard anyone say anything.) if they get a chance, because he is a high quality young RB, and that would give them a chance to spend their 1st pick on something else. Failing that of course they probably should go for a RB in the draft either 1st or 2nd round. Otherwise I bet they could go for a more pressing need, like either a good pass-rusher defensive end to go opposite Mario or an offensive tackle to possibly replace Spencer. I would say a receiver to take the spot opposite AJ but from all I can gather this is a “deep” draft for receiver talent. They definitely could use another linebacker to give them either more depth or an upgrade opposite Greenwood, because Orr didn’t do as good this season on sacks OR tackles, especially with the switch from 3-4 to 4-3, I don’t see why he should’ve had that big a reduction in tackles (from 50 total in ’05 to 32 in ’06), because Greenwood and Ryans both had over 100 a piece.

I haven’t seen anyone comment about Reggie Nelson. This guy is awesome and if the Texans do decide to trade down to # 12 to # 18. They could probably pick up Nelson and a decent pick to help them later on. We do need help everywhere and Nelson would be great for our secondary.

People talked about it quite a bit earlier in the blog. If the Texans trade back into the mid teens, I think Nelson could be a guy that is on their board at that spot.

Have you anything about Michael Bush’s back up last year Kolby Smith I believe? I thought he did a great job and could be a valuable pick up later in the draft if not undrafted. He seem to have a burst and a little of power.

I really liked him last season, but NFL teams just don’t seem to see Kolby Smith as a guy with the quicks as a starter in the NFL. I think he’ll be drafted around the late 4th to early 5th, but it wouldn’t shock me to see him make a team and have a decent preseason.

Where does Anthony Weaver fit in now? He seems to be a better tackle than end. How much will this affect the draft?

To me, it makes it easier to concentrate on drafting an edge rushing specialist later in the draft. Think Chicago Bears with Mark Anderson going in the 5th round. The Texans can play Weaver at the end on the first couple of downs and then move him down to DT and bring in a pass rush specialist. If the Texans did this, they can could concentrate on other areas of need and yet still get a somebody to shore up pass rushing.

If [Kubiak] finds a great fit in the first round at RB, I think he’ll take him.Okay, follow-up question: Do you go with the obvious crowd favorite and select A. Peterson, or do you take a more “nuanced” approach?Personally, I’m uncomfortable selecting ANY running back who’s had a serious injury in his college career, as Peterson has. Beyond questions of “fragility,” there’s the incontrovertible fact that RBs just don’t last very long–four years on average, even among the good ones.It just seems that you’re limiting yourself to the “floor” side if you select a back who’s been laid up for an extended time before.Your thoughts?

I understand your concerns on Peterson and they are valid. I’ve had a NFL person tell me that Peterson will fall at least to the Texans because teams will be concerned about his medicals at the combine so we’ll see what happens. If he is healthy and has a good physical with the Texans, then he is my pick.

I would like to see the Texans sign Micheal Turner and go after one of the big time DE/DL, do you think this is possible?

Possible, but unlikely. I just don’t see the Texans spending their free agent money on a RB. If people don’t think Kubiak will draft a RB in the first round then you can’t possibly think he’ll give up good FA money for one.

I totally agree with you about Lorenzo Booker. People forget he was the number one rated prospect in football as a high school senior, over VY, and was misused with an underachieving FSU team for four years. I don’t know if he’s an ideal zone runner, seemed to do a lot of dancing, but there’s no doubt about his speed.

I’d be very happy seeing the Texans call his name at the top of round 3 after shoring up the defense in rounds 1 and 2

You are right about his dancing being a potential problem, but I can’t tell you in strong enough terms how much I HATE the FSU running scheme. It is the most outdated scheme in college football and it turns great high school backs into good college backs. I don’t know why good RBs go there anymore. With that said, you look at a player’s skill set and Booker has speed, ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and can help put additional pressure on a defense. I don’t think he’s an every down back though so that complicates where you value a player like that. Then again, the Bears thought enough to take a return man in the 2nd round in Devin Hester and that ended up paying off handsomely because he’s a playmaker.

Lorenzo Booker would be a great pick up. The past few FSU running backs have been solid additions to their teams.

Leon Washington was solid for the Jets and had a few 100 yd games on a team that had a running back by committee, similar to the Texans. If nothing else, I think he would be a good fit here and the Texans should look into what his asking price is. I’d give the Jets up to a late 3rd round pick for him.

Greg Jones was a monster at FSU. Ask anyone who watches FSU games who Greg Jones is and the first word you will hear is BEAST. Too bad the Jags like him as a full back. This guy is a mean Jerome Bettis type back who just needs an opportunity to showcase his talent. He had a few good games when called upon but Jones-Drew stole the spotlight there with his big play ability. Still Greg Jones was a college standout and hopefully he can get an opportunity to succeed on the NFL level.

Now on to Booker. He is probably the last of the three I would pick. That’s not a knock on Booker but high praise for the other two backs. Booker has that quickness and reminds me of Reggie Bush minus the hype. He needs to hit the weight room if he is going to make in on the next level but he definitely would be worth a 4th round look.

Personally, and I’ve mentioned this before I think, I don’t see it as a big deal if we don’t get AP. This draft doesn’t have a clear cut stand out but it does have alot of depth. We would be much better served dropping back to 14-16 and getting an extra pick(s). There will still be a quality pick available at 14,15,16 regardless of position.

With as many needs as we have, I hope the Texans don’t take the sexy pick this time and go for a fan-favorite. This coming from the same person that was screaming for them to take Vince last year, but only because he was a clear cut number one pick. I say this mainly because I don’t think that AP will be there but it would be hard to trade down if he’s there. At the same time, it would bring better offers for extra picks though, which will ultimately help this team. At least we finally have competent people making out picks. I know Kubs and Rick Smith will pull out another great draft.

On a side note, my pick would be trading down to 15 and getting LaRon Landry if possible. If not, take the best player available.

Hey I think the Texans have good enough running backs for next year. Yeah I would love to have AP on our team but I think we should draft a DL like Alan Branch or Amobi Okoye games are won in the trenches and we need some more depth in the DL position

Do you really think both Cleveland and Detroit would pass on Calvin Johnson? Tampa Bay would probably be ecstatic to find he falls to them (I guess I’m assuming Cleveland wins the coin flip for that third pick).

All of the other mock drafts can keep putting Johnson at 4 or later, but I’m sticking with him inside the top 3 unless I hear otherwise from somebody on an NFL team. If he isn’t in the top 3 of every NFL board, then they aren’t doing their job. Don’t forget that Tampa could be drafting 3rd and they need a WR. The Raiders need to get rid of Moss as well which would put them in a position to take BPA (best player available) which would be Johnson.

Several posts have mentioned trading David Carr to the Lions for Dre Bly. If they are really interested in Carr, which could be a possiblilty since Matt Millen is still GM, how about trading Carr and our number 1 for their number 1. The best scenario would be to hope the Raiders take Russell and the Texans draft Calvin Johnson. If the Raiders take Johnson, draft Joe Thomas. What do you think?

Interesting thought. Personally, I don’t think Off. Coord. Mike Martz would be all that interested in David Carr, but you never know.

I don’t want the Texans to trade down. This is only an 8 player draft and we should make certain we are getting one of those players. There is not a whole lot of difference in those 8 but there is a drop off below. I don’t care what position he plays, we need help everywhere. We don’t need an almost as good player at 16 plus a hit or miss player in the 3rd. We will more than likely get burned. It was just 2 years ago, that we traded down in the first and ended up with Travis Johnson and a draft pick. Not only did we not get a good player but who was our great extra pick?

My priority would be DL help first (either Alan Branch or Gaines Adams) since Joe Thomas is not expected to drop to 8. With either one of those players, we have the makings of a dominant DL for years to come.

I can guarantee you that NFL teams don’t see this as an 8 player draft. This isn’t the NBA draft. You can get players all over the place. Reggie Nelson, Laron Landry, Dwayne Jarrett, Levi Brown and Charles Johnson are all guys who will be drafted after 8 who could help the Texans.

Lance, what I am talking about is that there 8 players at the top of almost everyone’s board. The there is much less consensus about the next 8. I want to make certain I get one of the top 8. As for the players you listed, they all look like fine players but I don’t want one of them and then maybe get lucky with a 3rd round pick. I’d rather have Gaines or Branch. But since this will all change after the combines, it’s fun just to speculate.

You are basing your argument about this “consensus” based on what you are reading on websites (perhaps including me) and I’m telling you right now that it is a mistake to assume that these website used in conjunction with one another create any type of consensus. I’ve been able to get my hands on some different teams draft boards after the draft had concluded and was shocked at what I saw and how wildly different a board would look from team to team. Not only that, but teams have player rated differently according to true value. I can promise you that there is a good chance that a team like the Dolphins would rather draft 14 rather than 9 because more than likely they have a list of 3 or 4 players who they feel like would be good fits for them and who are likely to be drafted around the 14th spot. The difference in spots is also a difference in money that has to be paid to the draft pick. All of this is factored in. Hell, I had more than one person tell me last year that they would rather get rid of their 2nd round pick and pick up one in the 3rd or 4th because it was a great draft for 3rd and 4th rounders but not good for 2nd rounders.

This is totally off-subject, but if the Texans are unable (for whatever reasons, including lack of interest or salary cap issues) to land a first-tier cornerback (Clements, Samuels) in free agency, what about some of the second tier guys like David Macklin? Who else is available and could improve the team?

Sad to say, my take on the Texans secondary is that many second-tier CBs would be an improvement over Petey Faggins.

Also, I read somewhere somebody asking about Rod Hood (CB with the Eagles); is he a UFA? I can’t seem to confirm that.

On the Rod Hood front, the Eagles covet him and he’ll get locked up. He signed a one year deal last year, but he is the third CB with a chance to be the eventual starter. I’ve had a running disagreement with a member of the Texans about not only Petey, but also C.C. Brown. They think more highly of both guys than I do. I think Petey is a nickel back at best and I’m pretty sure the current management sees it that way as well. I don’t know that for sure, but you would have to be a blind man not to know that you need CB help. Macklin is an interesting name because most fans just think you draft a corner and you’re done with it, but good CBs are hard to find. If you can find a veteran who is proven to be serviceable, many teams prefer that to drafting a CB and hoping he is ready to play right away. This is a very bad CB draft relative to early round talent.

I got a kick reading some of the old Mid-South Wrestling tales. I was a HUGE MidSouth fan and went to many, many events. A few of my favorites were the Rock n Roll Express (and I didn’t like those RRExpress wannaabees, The Fantastics!), Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Magnum T.A, JYD, Terry Taylor. Man those were exciting times. I totally lost interest when the WWF style or wrestling took over. IT’s so theatrical, so fake. The midsouth you really felt these guys hated each other and wanted to rip each ohers heart out. Anyone know where I can get old Midsouth matches on tape?

As far as the Texans go, I have a few questions and thoughts. First, I dont have one bit of a problem with signing Jake Plummer to a couple year contract. Let him and Kubiak groom the qb of the future. And, I think that it wouldnt be too bad to keep Carr around as the backup. Let him watch and learn how this system is suppose to be ran. He has the tools. Secondly, it seems everyone thinks that we need a WR opposite Andre J. I recall before last season started everyone was soooo excited saying we’d finally gotten a playmaker to play opposite AJ. Now for the life of me, his name escapes me – but you know who I’m talking about… the former Bills wideout. Granted he didn’t have an exellent season (but who on our team did?). I think he’s an excellent reciever – especially a possesion reciever with some big play ability. So I don’t see WR as a major need. Lastly, I also feel we need a breakaway type RB… however I don’t think we should let Dayne go. Regardless of his past production, he played extremely well for us. He’s the type of back that bruises the defense. Just flattens them on their back. Every team should have one of those. I’d love to hear others thoughts on these subjects.

Do you really want to pay David Carr $5MM a year to be a backup? The Texans are talent-poor in comparison to the better teams in the league, and can ill-afford to tie up ~10% of their salary cap on QB’s.

I love the fact almost every Texan fan says we should trade back between 12 and 15 for an extra pick and get any player(Nelson, Lynch, etc) but what one fails to realize is who bewteen 12 and 15 would what to trade up and draft a player at eight that they could possibly get at 12 to 15. Brady Quinn is the only possibly there and if Buffalo or Carolina want him and give you want you want (2d rounder) you still run the risk of having Nelson or Laundry or both gone, maybe even Levi Brown and now you have to settle on a Lynch or a DE like Spencer(who if were better would be higher picks, right?) And with a extra 2d rounder you still not drafting a starter unless it is O Line or CB, but again if you are looking for starters in the 2d round you are in bad shape. IMO, I say we should draft a AP if there if not go after Adams or Branch becuase I would rather take 1 thoughbred instead of 2 horses. But I could be wrong, I mean I am a Texans fan.

I know you don’t like Ted Ginn jr as a WR. (Ginn’s speed is going to have him flying up the draft board, but I don’t think he’s even in the top 3 of this year’s WR class when it comes to playing the position as it will need to be played in the NFL. However, I have to admit that a guy with his speed and ability to break a game open with his return-game ability is very tough to pass up. Then again, I don’t remember Dante Hall or Devin Hester being drafted in the first round.) What would be so wrong to see him in a Texans uniform next year? He is a game breaker and Special teams help wins ball games. Besides imagine a kickoff return team with Mathis and Ginn, the Texans might start every position on the 30 or better.

I wouldn’t be as opposed to it as you think. I was merely making a point about how important it is that he helps in the return game. I think that Jarrett, Johnson and Bowe are all more polished WRs, but I will readily admit that his blazing speed is something that the Texans offense needs on the other side of Andre Johnson in order to keep defenses from just rolling a safety towards Johnson every snap. I do, however, think Ginn has a potentially high bust potential, but I also think he’s one of the best gamebreakers in this whole draft.

First of all thanks for putting the zone blocking link up, very interesting. Certainly makes you appreciate that a backs’ vision could be as important as his physical skills. Presumably reaction time is a factor in a players vision. Do they do any specific tests at the combine for that? I wonder if that’s what Denver looks for in a back as much as anything. They seem to get low round backs that do very well.

On another point, I’m pretty excited about the draft. The way I figure it, whatever happens we are going to get some more good players to help our team. I get a bit tired of all this “he’s not worth pick no 8 etc.” Whoever we pick at no 8 (or whatever it turns out to be) we will get a valuable addition to our team, be it DT, DE, RB, FS or OT. I don’t see how we can lose. (Not a cue to mention last year’s draft!) Keep up the good work.

This may be getting a little off subject, but when you think is the earliest we should be considering drafting a punter? I know we have a lot of pressing needs and maybe the organization is looking to upgrade through free agency but I just think it is a position that should be addressed in the off season.I hear the name of Sepulveda from Baylor and Podlesh from Maryland mentioned a lot. What is your take?

Sepulveda will be long gone by the 5th round and that is about where I would start looking. It would be nice to be able to draft a really good punter earlier, but it is just unlikely.

I love the fact almost every Texan fan says we should trade back between 12 and 15 for an extra pick and get any player(Nelson, Lynch, etc) but what one fails to realize is who bewteen 12 and 15 would what to trade up and draft a player at eight that they could possibly get at 12 to 15.I agree with you, but I’ve noticed that most “fans” on these blogs appear to believe that the Texans’ management has some sort of “mind-control power” that lets them hypnotize other teams into doing their bidding.I was one who wished the Texans would have traded their No. 1 pick last year for a nice stockpile, but I soon learned–and understood–that their attempts to do so yielded only disappointing offers in return, to the extent that they felt it was of more value to stick with the pick than trade it.It takes two parties to make a deal, and each side has to feel it got value for the transaction.Too many here don’t seem to understand that.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am fully aware of the difficulties involved, and the type of scenarios that I hope most of the fans are describing are what I would call a “wish list” more or less, based on what would be in the best interests of our team. You know what struck me as odd last year Lance? That even though fans and the pundits were so upset that we picked up Mario Williams and passed on what fans perceived as 2 can’t miss Hall of Famers, why was it that no team offered to trade up to pick these guys when they had the opportunity, or at least offered the Texans fair market value to trade up. My guess is what the fans “knew” all along about Vince and what the fans and pundits perceived about Reggie Bush, weren’t the certainties that people now claim to have known all along. Knowing what people know now, don’t you think that half of the NFL would try to trade up with Houston or New Orleans to draft VY ahead of Tennesse. And even the Titans were debating whether or not to pick VY or Leinart. But one year does not a career make and in the case of Reggie Bush, catching a bunch of five yard passes out of the backfield, doesn’t make you the second coming of Gale Sayers.I think we can be proud of the foundation that last year’s draft provided, and this year I hope that if the best available players in our positions of need have already been taken when our turn comes, then I hope somebody who wants to fill a need in another position than us or who values another player more than us, offers the Texans fair market value to trade down so they can acquire their player. But until that day comes and it is your turn and you see what is left on the board, no one can make that determination, so it is really all speculation. But it is OK to do that, so long as you don’t spend the rest of your waking hours railing against your team for not drafting the player or players you would have liked or trading down when you think they should have. I grew up in Houston, but I live in Austin, so I don’t get a chance to talk much about Texans football, that is why I appreciate the opportunity to talk to people who want this team to do well and have a deeper understanding of what it takes for us get to that level. I appreciate both your blog and your readers.

I just think the Texans need to get a cornerback and a safety. One of them has to be a big-time playmaker. More then anything the Texans have to improve their secondary.

These are skill positions in the NFL. Just as much as running backs and wide receivers. They are very expensive in free agency so the draft is the best way to get a potentially great player. The Texans probably have the top pick of secondary players. Nelson and Landry are both worthy for the 8th pick.

you know you can say he is a good back or a bad back he has been through the seasons with horrible line man. He is the Back for the houston Texans he will recover and i think he can make it through. And if they do anything they should trade him to detroit for a pick, because they have back situations too.